Thread: $ to keep trucks on the road

Wasnt sure how to title this. How much money have you guys put into your trucks to keep them on the road afert hey are out of warranty? Iwas going thru the files on 2 of our 02 7.3 trucks and realized we have put over 35% of the new cost into these 2 trucks to keep them on the road. Now we are talking repairs not tires or fluid changes or paint and body. I will be the first to say that we are not easy on our trucks but these numbers seem high to me. The 02 f350 pick up has had over 13k put into it out of the warranty period.And the first 100k it was my personal truck and it now has 181k on it .What are you guys seeing on your trucks and would like to hear other brands too.

Year by year the numbers got worse and worse on our aging fleet. It's why I added 2 new trucks over the last 2 years. The warranty's haven't saved me anything on the new trucks because nothing breaks and thats what I love about them.

The older trucks I wouldn't do % math as to many variables and base trucks cost a lot less than loaded trucks. My 2 new trucks cost me $60,000 and $65,000 each (we are talking fully loaded ram 4500s). My used trucks cost me $8,000 89 gmc 3500 dump purchased 2003, $10,000 99 ram 1500 quad short bed purchased 2003, $14,000 98 ram quad cap long bed purchased 2002, and $20,000 99 ram 3500 quad cab dump purchased 2005. I think its safe to say repairs and tires they average about 1 dollar per mile driven on bad years and closer to 50 cents per mile overall. All 4 of them cost me around 20k each since iv owned them. Transmissions can be upwards of $3000. Rear ends used your still looking at $1200 to $1500. Transfer case on the 4wd 99 ram 3500 that was rude came in just over $4000. Fuel injector pump for diesels close to $3000 a pop. My 89 gmc costs me the least at around $2000 a year on average but we also only drive it about 2000 miles. I don't think the issue is so much warranty expiring to ages but the miles on the trucks when you got em. I found around 80000 miles the trucks show their age and begin to break more frequently around 100000 miles things get bad and around 125000 miles its just plain ugly. It was when my average truck had 140000 miles that I snapped and figured id be better off with payments. And it is nice not being so close with my mechanic.

I run 3 old trucks. Not even considered late model at this point. My Ford '94 F350 now has 280,000 miles. I picked it up 7 years ago and haven't put $6000 into it including tires. It is still presentable and gets worked hard with heavy towing. My '79 Chevy C65 I picked up for $4000, I've put about 3000 into it in 5 years. Will be needing a set of tires so some money will be going into it this year. Least presentable of the trucks is my little mazda B2600. Got it for $600 and had to do some work to get it going. now total I have put $1300 into it and have taken it on road trips over 500 miles. I can't justify a new truck at this point. I think you have to understand what repairs are being needed. Some repairs are needed every so many miles whether a truck is new or old. The more miles the more replacement parts will be needed. The good side is after the repairs are done at least that part of the truck is new again and shouldn't be a problem for a while. You repair costs seem very high.

Wasnt sure how to title this. How much money have you guys put into your trucks to keep them on the road afert hey are out of warranty? Iwas going thru the files on 2 of our 02 7.3 trucks and realized we have put over 35% of the new cost into these 2 trucks to keep them on the road. Now we are talking repairs not tires or fluid changes or paint and body. I will be the first to say that we are not easy on our trucks but these numbers seem high to me. The 02 f350 pick up has had over 13k put into it out of the warranty period.And the first 100k it was my personal truck and it now has 181k on it .What are you guys seeing on your trucks and would like to hear other brands too.

ford circled the problem

It depends I had a water pump go down at 79k $300 dollars $79 in front brake pads 2 two sets of tires in 105k of multi driving $1300 est will need at some point to replace a rear axle bearing seal .

You didn't say what chassis the other motors was in but I've found the 350 450 and 550 trucks get treated and worked like real medium duty trucks when they really arent. My international needed literally nothing in 2 years. They are just built different.

350 is a crew cab Lariet pick up and the other is a 550 chassis that now only has 86k on it. Both have had high pressure oil pumps and trans . 350 has had both front axles , hubs ,hyro booster master cylinder, tons of calipers and small stuff. 550 has had several fuel tanks , fuel pumps, trans, front end bushings, oil pumps and this is after ford put over 8 k in new parts on it then the motor went out just before it went out of warranty.

My chevrolet 6.0 gassers just keep on tickin. General maintanance thats it. I havent even had a tranny rebuilt in one of them in 300,000 miles logged between them.

I have a 97 powerstroke diesel with 138K miles on it and that hunk of garbage plays ring around the rosie with all the mechanics around here. It keeps them all fed. someone said it above, they circled the problem.... I know there not all this way, but I wont own another one I can tell ya that.

My chevrolet 6.0 gassers just keep on tickin. General maintanance thats it. I havent even had a tranny rebuilt in one of them in 300,000 miles logged between them.

I have a 97 powerstroke diesel with 138K miles on it and that hunk of garbage plays ring around the rosie with all the mechanics around here. It keeps them all fed. someone said it above, they circled the problem.... I know there not all this way, but I wont own another one I can tell ya that.

Funny, most of my stuff has the old 5.7, I can get a complete "rebuilt" engine for less than 1800$ and rebuilt transmission are less than 2000$, so far never need any.

I did spent 700$ on my box truck last month, Ive had it 5 years and thats the first time Ive done much to it, new radiator, exhaust manifold, water pump,battery,transmission flush, and a trip to the muffler shop to get the exhaust realigned. Hop Im good for another year.

Funny, most of my stuff has the old 5.7, I can get a complete "rebuilt" engine for less than 1800$ and rebuilt transmission are less than 2000$, so far never need any.

I did spent 700$ on my box truck last month, Ive had it 5 years and thats the first time Ive done much to it, new radiator, exhaust manifold, water pump,battery,transmission flush, and a trip to the muffler shop to get the exhaust realigned. Hop Im good for another year.

Thats kinda what im figuring out is that its just hard to beat a gas chevrolet truck........ Especially the old vortec 350.

I sold a 98 chevrolet z71 1500 that I bought with 100K miles on it and had 185K on it when it got totalled........... The only thing I did in 85K miles was a fuel pump and I did have to do breaks pretty often from pulling an enclosed with 2 ztrs, and a walke behind. That motor was awesome!!! Not the most powerful but man it just ran good. I take that back i did a tune up to the truck when I bought it at 100K on it. wish the kid wouldnt have went left of center!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bas turd!!
With the money Ive put in the powerstroke I could have bought 2 of those chevrolets....... Lesson learned.